Call Me Cyrano
by R011ingThunder
Summary: What happens when Fiore's biggest under-dog has a crush on Sorcerer Weekly's hottest model? Toby's in love with Jenny Realight! Matchmaker Lyon reluctantly takes the case. (We all know how good with relationships he is... not!) Will Toby get the girl or is Jenny just out of his league? [Mazeverse] Jendawg, minor 1-sided Lyvia referenced in epilogue
1. Helping Him Would Be Love

_**Erza**'s taking a mission at Crime Sorciere, going after the man she thought she always wanted. Is she leaving behind the man she thought she'd always have?  
**Natsu** has friend-zoned himself, leaving **Lucy** and **Lisanna** in the lurch. He'd rather avoid them both than risk being a two-timer like **Gray**.  
**Gray** (not actually a two-timer) just can't seem to catch a break. Maybe he just wasn't meant for romantic happiness. Or maybe it's time for a new direction.  
**Mira**'s stuck in the past, unable to accept that **Laxus** has his sights set elsewhere. __**Freed**'s never, never giving up on her, even if that means a broken heart.  
**Juvia**'s having second thoughts about **Gray**, but **Lyon**'s ready to call it quits. Can she get her feelings sorted out in time, or will she be left with nothing?  
And **Toby**'s dating **Jenny Realight**. The Jenny Realight. Wait, what?!  
_

_Something's gotta give._

__This is the Mazeverse series, a post-Tenrou AU _____where we put your ships in a blender and beat 'til smooth_. __Lyvia, __Gruvia, Jerza, ______Grayza, __Nalu, Nali, Lolu, Graylu, Bixanna, Gale, ElfEver, Miraxus, Laxana, MiraFreed as well as a handful of crackships and rare-pairs as we try to pair the spares. This is the Mazeverse. No ship is safe ;)__

* * *

**Happy Friday! We've got a new story this week... who wants to see some Jendawg? How about some Matchmaker Lyon? :)  
**

**But first, a quick clarification. I was told that this would be confusing. :) Sorano (Angel of the Oracion Seis and now Crime Sorciere) has nothing to do with this story. Cyrano is a reference to the titular character in a famous French play _Cyrano de Bergerac_, about a guy who helps his buddy find love by prompting him. And that's what this is. Though the real story's much more tragic than that, since the two are in love with the same girl... I won't make too many more references to _Cyrano de Bergerac_, other than the allusion in the title. The premise here is different enough that it doesn't matter. I would, however like to do a version of it as part of my Tail As Old As Time (Fairy Tale rewrites) series, at some point.**

**For readers new to Mazeverse, no prior knowledge is necessary... as long as you can buy the idea of Lamia Scale's Toby off on a date with Jenny Realight.**

**Long time readers can sequence this story shortly after _Under the Weather_, which puts it just a couple weeks after the _Victory Gala_.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Toby groaned again, rocking back and forth.

"Will you stop that? You're driving me insane," Lyon snapped.

"Awhhh," Toby gave another plaintive whine. "But I'm so nervous. My stomach is about to turn itself inside out and I think I'm going to be sick."

"For pity's sake, Toby! Breathe!" barked Lyon, clamping a hand down on his friend's shoulder. He shook his head. This was ridiculous!

His team had arranged to meet up at the guild hall, with the intention of working out logistics for an upcoming job. But what had started out as a planning meeting had dissolved into a relationship therapy session for Toby.

"Poor dear." Sherry gave a sympathetic hum. "You've really fallen for her, haven't you?"

"Well stated," said Yuka dryly. Clearly, he wasn't terribly amused by the direction the afternoon's proceedings were heading. "Pointing out the obvious there."

"No wonder you're so nervous. Oh, you poor thing," crooned Sherry, as if Yuka hadn't spoken.

Toby whined again, hunching his shoulders.

"Sherry, thank you for your opinion. But it's really not helpful right now," said Lyon. "Toby, I thought things had gone well the last time you talked."

"It did, but…"

"But what?" asked Lyon, trying to keep the growing impatience from his voice.

"That was an entire week ago!" said Toby.

"And?"

"Surely, you're not worried that she's forgotten about you already," said Yuka.

"Yuka. Enough," said Lyon. Then he turned to Toby. "So, you're telling me that after you hit it off at the Victory Gala, you've exchanged no lacrima calls, made no plans to see each other and you haven't spoken even once?"

Toby hung his head. "…yeah."

"I'm sure it's okay," Chelia piped up.

Lyon sighed. "Look, why don't you just call her? Call her and ask her out on a date. That would resolve the problem, would it not?"

"I can't do that!" cried Toby.

"Or you could just never see her again," deadpanned Lyon. "Might be for the best since you're _terrified_ of her and she reduces you to a sniveling wreck."

"NO!" Toby wailed, tugging at his hair.

Lyon ground his teeth at the ungodly sound. Toby was _insufferable_…

"Hey, Lyon. Come here a sec," said Sherry, beckoning as she rose from the table.

"Ooh, secret time! I want in," said Chelia eagerly.

"No, you stay," said Sherry.

"Oh, boo." Chelia pouted, jutting out her lip. "You guys suck."

"What is it, Sherry?" asked Lyon, as soon as they were out of earshot.

Never one to be subtle, Sherry jumped straight to the point. "I think you should help him out. That would be love."

"Do you remember what happened the last time you asked me to help out?" asked Lyon, folding his arms over his chest.

Sherry flushed, looking away. "Yeah, but… I'm sorry, okay? I freaked out and I shouldn't have. I should have trusted you to have things handled—"

"Like I always do," interjected Lyon.

"Like you always do," agreed Sherry. "And I should have been more supportive. But you did really good with him, though," she offered.

"And?" Lyon arched an eyebrow. Where could she possibly be going with this?

"Please?" Sherry pressed her palms together and blinked up at him winningly.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, and neither will begging. Besides, what do you expect me to do about this?" Lyon demanded.

"You should help him, of course!" said Sherry. "That would be _love_!"

"Why don't _you_ help him? That would be love, too!" mocked Lyon.

Sherry huffed, smacking him in the arm. "Stop that! Lyon!"

"I'm just pointing it out," said Lyon unapologetically. "I've done my part. Now, it's your turn. If you're so worried, why don't you and Chelia try to help? Do your Power of Love Routine or whatever that nonsense is?" Lyon started to walk away.

"He doesn't have your confidence," called Sherry. "This is hard for him."

Lyon froze, turning back around. "I can't very well go on his date for him, Sherry. You know that."

"But you can coach him some more. He just needs to see that he can do this on his own."

"Fine…" sighed Lyon. "But this is the _last_ time," he added as they rejoined the rest of the group.

"It totally won't be," said Chelia piped up, looking at both of them with eager eyes.

"It most certainly will be," said Lyon firmly.

Chelia shook her head. "No way!"

"What do you know? You don't even know what we were talking about," said Lyon dismissively.

Undaunted, Chelia grinned. "I don't have to know," she said. "I know _you_, and that's enough. If you say it's the last time, it won't be. You're just trying to convince yourself it's true."

"Hush, you," said Lyon, scowling. "You're being ridiculous."

That only made Chelia laugh. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, Lyon. Good luck!" she sang out.

"Toby," said Lyon sharply. "We're going to ask Jenny on a date. Dinner and a movie."

Toby looked up, wringing his hands. "We are? O-okay…" he said.

"Not, 'okay.' If you aren't interested, I don't have to help," Lyon reminded him.

"No, no, no! I mean, yes!" stammered Toby. "That is… no, I'm not not-interested. Not, not? Not… So, _yes_. Not not-yes, but… oh, never mind."

"I can see just how well this is going to go…" droned Yuka.

Toby whimpered.

"Mark my words, Yuka. You'll be singing a different tune once we find you a nice girl," Sherry told him.

"That'll be the day!" he said, leaning back in his chair and resting his feet on the edge of the table.

"I'll do it," insisted Sherry. "You won't even know what hit you."

"Resorting to threats now?" asked Yuka.

"Come on, Toby," said Lyon. "Let's go give Jenny a call."

"Wait. Now?!" yelped Toby.

"Yes. _Now_." Lyon grabbed Toby by the ear, dragging him down the hall.

"Wait. Wait! Hold—Ow! Lyon! Ow, ow, ow! Slow down!" whined Toby.

Lyon could hear the jeers and catcalls from his team as he shoved Toby into the broom closet.

"Go, Lyon!" cheered Chelia. "Show him how it's done!"

"I never thought I'd see the two of them walk into a closet together…" commented Yuka.

"Ooh, scandalous! Do you think it means something?" asked Chelia.

"Who knows?" said Yuka.

"Not the worst choice for Lyon," shrugged Sherry. "Better than _some_ that I could think of," she added darkly.

* * *

**Team Lamia for the win! You can probably guess just how well this is going to go for Toby and what a headache this will be for Lyon.  
**

**Fun fact. I've mentioned before that I have a Lyon-friend. He's got pretty much the same personality. The one day, I heard him talking to one of our other friends, in this long-suffering trying-to-be-patient tone. That was sort of the inspiration for this chapter... and to a limited extend, the rest of this story, because I realized that my other friend is very Toby-like. (I'm not trying to be self-insert girl or anything like that. But I do believe that good characters should resemble people that you and I know. That's what makes these characters feel real to us. But based on my reality, I have certain expectations or beliefs about what makes sense and what works for each character. This may be different from what you've experienced and what you're expecting to see (or hoping to see) based on that. Complete tangent, but I've made the point before and it seemed to tie in nicely here.)  
**

**Anyways, back to the IRL Toby story. Toby-friend was fumbling through a convo with this one girl, and he was really awkward. And he knew it. He'd joke and it wasn't funny, and he'd backtrack, then he'd start to say something, and he'd back-pedal again. And I just felt so bad for him. He was trying really hard, but it just wasn't working. On the bright side, that gave me a pretty good point of reference for what Toby-characters might be like IRL (as opposed to guessing based on the limited screen time he gets in canon.)  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Call Me Cyrano_, Toby calls Jenny.** _"What are you waiting for? Go!" said Lyon. / "Heyyy… Jennyyy…!" said Toby, his voice faltering._

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. Totally Not Dying Here Or Anything

**Happy Friday! Super excited to share this chapter. I love, love Toby in all his awkward glory. :) I tease, but we've all been there... whether it's because you're shyer and more introverted, because you're the new kid, because you're talking to someone you look up to. We've all had moments where we wished the floor would swallow us up. I tried to capture a little bit of that here.  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Absconded away in one of the guild's storage closets, Lyon helped Toby prepare to call Jenny. Awkward as it was, they'd have a little privacy here, and hopefully Toby would be less of a wreck without Sherry's cooing and Yuka's sarcasm.

"Are you ready?" asked Lyon.

"No," said Toby.

"Do you know what you want to say?"

"Every time I think about her I get all tongue-tied..." sighed Toby.

"Why don't you write down what you're going to say?" suggested Lyon. "Then you can read it and we'll worry about the rest later."

"That makes sense," said Toby. "So, what should I say?"

"She's _your_ girl. Shouldn't you know?" asked Lyon.

"If I knew, I wouldn't need your help," said Toby.

"As long as it ends with some form of 'will you go out with me?' then the words aren't important," said Lyon. "Now stop dawdling," he said, handing Toby a piece of paper and a pencil.

Toby frowned and scritched and scratched and whined. But eventually he managed to get a few lines on paper.

"Good?" he asked, passing his notes to Lyon.

Lyon snorted, unable to keep from arching an eyebrow at the wobbly, childish printing.

"Bad?" asked Toby.

"Passible," sighed Lyon, resisting the urge to provide further critique. "Now, let's get this over with."

Toby nodded, pulling out his lacrima. He summoned Jenny's information with a single swipe.

"You have her on speed-dial?" asked Lyon, surprised.

"Yeah…"

"But you haven't managed to call her…"

"Yeah… I'm a loser, okay? I know already," said Toby.

"I didn't say you were—" started Lyon.

"You didn't have to," said Toby with a rueful smile. "I already know."

"Toby, is that you?" came Jenny's voice.

Toby's eyes widened in panic.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" said Lyon.

"Heyyy… Jennyyy…!" said Toby, his voice faltering.

"Don't be so awkward…" said Lyon.

"I'm nervous!" snapped Toby.

"Don't be so _loud_!" scolded Lyon.

"Oops. Do you think she heard that?" asked Toby, his eyes wide.

"She'd have to be deaf not to," muttered Lyon.

"Toby? You still there?" asked Jenny.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm there. I mean, here. Not there, where you are. But here. Sorry…" he said.

Lyon sighed, shaking his head.

"Oh, good. I thought you were invisible for a second," said Jenny. "But it makes sense that you're there and not here," she added cheerfully.

Lyon shook his head in awe. Jenny Realight was really something. This girl had to be the only intelligent human being in the world who could put up with Toby's awkwardness. Or maybe she wasn't that intelligent…

But then again, neither was Toby! They'd make a _fantastic_ match. Provided that Toby ever got around to asking her out, that was.

"Toby…" Lyon prompted. "_What are you waiting for?!_"

"Sorry, give me a sec. I wrote it down so this wouldn't come out wrong. Sorry," he said again.

"Are you okay…?" asked Jenny. She sounded worried.

"Yes! Yes, I'm completely and perfectly fine," said Toby.

"Get on with it before I strangle you," hissed Lyon.

"I'm dying here," Toby whispered back.

"You're _what_?" asked Jenny.

"I'm totally not dying here or anything," Toby reassured her. "No, nobody's dying. Well, someone probably is. I mean, they say two people die every second. But no one we know. That I know of. Unless you know of somebody. Sorry, sorry! That wasn't what I meant to say!" yelped Toby.

"Idiot…" muttered Lyon.

"Sorry, I ramble when I get nervous," Toby muttered to Lyon.

"And you get even more awkward than normal," said Lyon. "I didn't realize such a thing was possible."

"It's really, really cute when you start rambling," said Jenny, her voice crackling over the lacrima connection. "You don't have to be nervous."

Toby blinked. "What? Really?"

"Toby, will you go out with me?" she asked.

"Did you just read my notes through the lacrima?" Toby demanded.

"Just say yes, already," hissed Lyon.

"Yes, already," repeated Toby. "I mean…"

Lyon groaned. This was going to be a disaster.

"Awesome!" said Jenny.

Toby blinked, looking like he couldn't believe this was real. He looked down at his paper, then back up at Lyon. He crinkled his notes nervously.

Unable to sit by, Lyon snatched the paper away. "Repeat after me," said Lyon quietly, so that Jenny wouldn't hear his prompting. "I'd like to take you out to dinner, if that's all right."

"I'd like to take you out to dinner, if that's all right?" parroted Toby.

"Dinner sounds great," said Jenny.

"Is there a certain type of restaurant you'd prefer? I'm good with anything myself," said Lyon.

"Is there a certain restaurant you'd prefer? I'm good at anything. I mean, _with_ anything. With! With!" said Toby, correcting himself quickly.

Lyon fisted his hands to keep from smashing something, like Toby's skull.

"Actually, are you okay with meeting me in Worth Woodsea? There's this really great outdoor shopping complex thing. There's stores and all kinds of restaurants and stuff. We can figure out what we want to do once we get there. Is that cool with you?"

"That sounds fine, I ca—" Lyon started.

"Cool, cool!" chirped Toby, his face splitting into a grin, as if he just realized what had happened. "Cool as an ice mage out of Isvan. Cool as a Sorcerer Weekly reporter! I guess they aren't all that cool. I mean—"

"Awesome! I'll see you this weekend," laughed Jenny.

"Sounds good. Yeah!" said Toby. Then he gave a jubilant shout. "Yes! She said yes!" he cheered, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Hang up the lacrima first, you fool," barked Lyon, not bothering to keep his voice down.

"Oops. I hope she didn't hear that…" said Toby, ending the call. Then he grinned, like the idiot he was. "But she said yes!"

"_You_ said yes," Lyon reminded him. "She asked you out because you couldn't keep your head long enough to read a sentence off a piece of paper. What are you going to do on an actual date?"

"Um…" Toby blinked, silent for a moment. Then he threw back his head and wailed. "I'm doooomed! Call her back! Call her back and tell her that I canceled. Tell her that I died. Tell her anything! Wait. I said I wasn't dying. Crap!"

Lyon ground his teeth to keep from retorting. He exited the closet, leaving before he subjected his friend to any more verbal abuse, well-warranted though it might have been.

"Lyon, wait!" called Toby. "Tell me what to do next! Lyon!"

* * *

**What'd you think? Awkward? Painful? Relatable?**

**Poor Toby... He really is 'doooomed.' :) I'm not sure who I feel worse for: Toby (since he's nervous), Jenny (for being stuck with Toby), or Lyon (who has to put up with all of it and try to spin this into a positive.  
**

**Better question... what's Toby going to do now? Sherry's got the perfect plan.  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Call Me Cyrano_, the operation starts.** "With your dog ears, you'll be able to use the beanie to keep the lacrima against your ears. Then Lyon can call you and he can tell you what to say. Perfect, right?" bubbled Sherry.

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Special Attack: Mango-Taro-Surprise!

**Happy Friday! And it's a very happy Friday, indeed!  
**

**On a very personal front... I have finally finished my master's degree- yay! :) You're probably wondering why I'm bringing this up. I only started writing and posting fanfic because of all the stress from school... and because my work situation went from dream job to toxic. Without getting into too many details and being a whiny drama llama, let's just say that between the pressures of working on a degree part time and drama at work, it was a tough place to be.  
**

**In a way, FT and being part of the fandom sort of helped me through a very confusing and difficult time for me. But that's largely thanks to you guys. For a while, getting to write for you and share with you every week was the one and only thing I looked forward to. And getting to connect with everyone was amazing. It really helped a lot. So THANK YOU! Thank you to everyone who supported me through this. Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviews and PMs and fun conversations. Especially those who I've really connected with and had to put up with my different moods and phases and all that during this transition. Thanks for becoming one of my friends.**

**My work situation has since cleared up, and I am now finished with school. I'm hoping that means that I'll have more time to spend writing, but it is worth pointing out that my initial reason for writing no longer exists. I'm not sure if that's going to have an impact or not. I'll keep you guys posted.**

**But for now... let's get into some Jendawg! This week we get some Lamia Scale _and_ we finally get to see the start of the date!  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Sherry was the one who came up with the plan, and for that, Toby was grateful. Lyon seemed pretty fed up with him and Toby still wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"Here!" she said, pulling something woolly over his head. "What do you think?"

"What's this?" asked Toby, reaching up to tug at it.

Sherry smacked his hand before offering him a mirror. "It's a beanie. Cute, right?"

"I think he's adorable," Chelia chimed in with a nod.

"That's one word for it," snorted Yuka.

"Isn't it too hot for a hat?" asked Toby.

"Maybe, but it's the perfect way to hide… this!" Sherry held up her fist, fingers open to reveal…

"Your lacrima?"

"_Your_ lacrima. With your dog ears, you'll be able to use the beanie to keep the lacrima against your ears. Then Lyon can call you and he can tell you what to say. Perfect, right?" bubbled Sherry.

"And how am I supposed to know what they're talking about?" interjected Lyon.

"You'll just tag along," said Sherry reasonably.

"I'm _not_ his chaperon," said Lyon.

"Do you have a better idea?" asked Sherry.

Lyon grumbled something unintelligible while Yuka chortled.

"Why don't you follow them super-spy style?" suggested Chelia. "That would be cool wouldn't it?"

"Maybe to you," said Lyon.

"They call me Vastia. Lyon Vastia," said Chelia in an awful imitation of a secret agent. Then she started humming the theme from a popular old animated spy series.

"Oh, I loved that show!" Toby hummed along, bobbing his head in time to the beat.

"What are you doing now?" sighed Lyon.

"Humming Lyon's danger theme," said Chelia.

"My _what_?" Lyon's eyes widened. "Good lord!"

"This will be fantastic," snickered Yuka. "I can already tell."

"Speak for yourself," muttered Lyon. "Perhaps you'd like to step in?"

"Oh, no," said Yuka, waving airily. "You see, I'm not the relationship type."

"We'll see about that!" said Chelia.

"Threats again, Chelia?" asked Yuka.

"How is that a threat?" Chelia protested.

Lyon left the rest to argue amongst themselves as he ushered Toby out of the guild.

And that was how Toby ended up pacing the sidewalk, feeling anxious and flushed as he waited for Jenny to arrive.

He glanced over his shoulder. A very sullen Lyon was watching furtively from the store across the street.

"Toby!" Jenny waved cheerfully at him from down the street. Her white dress flounced around her knees as she sprinted up to him. She looked like an angel. Toby had to try hard not to stare.

Toby took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It would be fine. Lyon would get him through this.

"Hey, you," she said.

"Hi, Jenny," he said.

_"You look lovely,"_ Lyon's voice prompted, sounding tinny as it came through the lacrima.

"You look lovely," Toby echoed obediently.

"Thanks! You ready to go?" asked Jenny.

"Sure am," said Toby, looking around. Shops and boutiques and little eateries lined the streets for blocks and blocks, as far as Toby could see. "Wow, this is place is huge. It's almost like a little town."

"What'd I tell ya?" said Jenny. "Isn't it awesome? Just about anything you'd ever want to do for fun is here. What do you want to do first?"

"Can I—maybe hold your hand?" he asked timidly.

_"Toby…"_ groaned Lyon.

Toby winced. "Or, if that's not okay, that's okay too… I mean, not that it's okay. But it's okay. I… I… never mind."

Jenny giggled, reaching out her hand slowly. "That's cool. Just don't tell the paparazzi," she whispered, her eyes wide and solemn.

"What?" laughed Toby nervously, the heat rising to his face as Jenny's knuckles brushed against his.

"I'm kidding," said Jenny, reaching for his hand, giving his hand a playful squeeze. "Besides, there are enough legendary Pegasus mages in town that I don't get too much trouble from cameras and stuff."

"I guess that makes sense," he said.

"Do you want to get food?" asked Jenny.

"I like food," said Toby. Then he cringed. Why did he say that? Stupid. Stupid. _Stupid_!

"_Toby, listen carefully,"_ said Lyon. He probably sensed Toby's frustration. _"There's an Italian place down the street. It's a chain, but it's nice. That's where you want to be. Now, ask her if she likes Italian."_

Toby nodded. "Do you… Do you like Italian?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

"I'm good with just about anything," said Jenny. "I'm not picky. Did you have someplace in mind?"

"Yeah… I think so," said Toby, his head still bobbing up and down.

"What is it?" asked Jenny.

Lyon hissed sharply in Toby's ear. _"I can't see the name from here,"_ said Lyon. _"Stall._"

"Stall," blurted Toby. No, no, that wasn't right!

Lyon's groan of frustration crackled through the earpiece. _"Toby!"_

"Like a food stall?" asked Jenny, puzzled.

"No, not a food stall!" said Toby quickly.

"What's then?"

"It's… a surprise…" said Toby lamely.

But Jenny didn't seem to notice.

"I love surprises! Lead the way," said Jenny.

_"Can't believe you managed to salvage that one,"_ said Lyon.

"You do? Oh, good. Follow me," said Toby. "Once I figure out where I'm going. Where'm I going?"

_"Do you see the black and white stripped awning? That's the place."_

Toby and Jenny walked to the restaurant, hand in hand.

"_Open the door for her,"_ prompted Lyon.

Toby blinked. What exactly did that mean?

_"Don't just stand there. She's going to think you don't know how to even use a door,"_ said Lyon.

"This the place?" asked Jenny with a nod of approval. "Nice choice," she said, opening the door herself and holding it open for him after she stepped through.

Toby caught the edge of the door with his hand, following her inside dumbly. He'd screwed that up.

_"It's fine,"_ said Lyon, as if reading his thoughts. _"Just keep going."_

Toby gaped. Lyon hadn't been exaggerating when he said it was a nice restaurant. This was the sort of place where there weren't just tablecloths on the tables. There were tablecloths on the chairs, too! Each plate was surrounded by multiple wine-glasses of varying heights and topped with a cloth napkin folded into a swan.

Toby shook his head, horror rendering him speechless. He was going to screw this up.

"_Maybe an upscale restaurant wasn't the best idea_," sighed Lyon.

Toby fidgeted uncomfortably, tugging at the button down he had been forced into. Lyon was probably right. Formal was not his thing.

That's when he and Jenny were approached by a man in a neat waistcoat. He looked a little like a penguin. He twitched as his eyes fell on Toby, jaw tightening slightly.

"May I take your hat, sir?" he sniffed.

"What?" said Toby.

"No hats," he repeated, extending a hand, palm up, as if demanding Toby's beanie.

"No, I can't take my hat off!" blurted Toby, pulling the beanie further down his forehead with both hands. If he took his hat off, then Jenny would see the hidden lacrima. Even worse… he wouldn't have Lyon helping him. And _then_ what would he do?

_"Toby. Stop. You're making a scene," _said Lyon.

"Hi, Jeeves," said Jenny. "Been a while."

"Miss Jenny! It certainly has. Delightful to see you again, dear," Jeeves said.

"I know it's only two of us, but can we get our usual spot?" asked Jenny.

"Usual?" echoed Toby. "You… you come here a lot?" asked Toby.

"Sometimes," said Jenny. "Like when the guys and I finish up a big job."

"Friend of yours?" asked Jeeves coolly, still eying Toby as if he were something that he'd like to clean.

"This is Toby," said Jenny. "Isn't he the cutest?"

Lyon choked back a laugh before the sound from the lacrima cut off abruptly.

Toby's eyes widened. Hopefully, Lyon just put himself on mute, and they didn't get disconnected.

Jeeves looked like he wanted to make a judgmental comment, but he forced a polite smile instead. "Right this way."

Toby looked around wildly, letting Jenny take the lead. It was fine. It was fine. Totally fine.

"Have you ever been here before?" asked Jenny, sliding into the U-shaped booth.

"…No," Toby admitted.

"Okay… we're going to do a backwards date," said Jenny brightly.

"A what?" asked Toby.

"You know. A backwards date," said Jenny.

"_What in God's name is that supposed to be?"_ muttered Lyon. "_Don't repeat that," _he added.

"I've never heard of that," said Toby.

"It's way fun, trust me," said Jenny. "We'll have dessert first and we'll work our way backwards to appetizers and drinks. But every course has to come from a different place."

"So, dessert here? And we'll do food somewhere else?"

"Pretty much. Wanna split a sundae? This place has decent food, but the ice cream is to die for! It's all homemade and it's super amazing."

"Okay," said Toby. He could do this. Then they would be out of here and onto someplace more normal.

"Okay, here," said Jenny, pulling sliding the dessert menu out of the pile. "What sounds good?" she asked, pushing it towards him.

Toby craned his neck, looking at the featured options. "I like—"

_"Let her pick, idiot."_

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking," mumbled Toby.

_"Are you ever?"_ Lyon's voice crackled through the speaker.

"What was that?" asked Jenny.

"Nothing! Nothing… What do you think sounds good?" he asked.

"All ice cream is good," said Jenny, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Besides, this is place is right in my backyard. I can come here anytime I want. You can pick."

"Are you sure?" asked Toby.

"Surprise me," said Jenny. "That seems to be working well for us."

_"I can't tell if she's being sarcastic or not... Well, now that she's said to, I suppose it's fine,"_ sighed Lyon.

"Okay," said Toby, looking over the menu. "I'll be right back."

"Something wrong?"

Toby shook his head. "I'm just going to ask the waiter to put our order in. It won't be a surprise if you hear what I'm ordering."

"I didn't think of that," said Jenny.

Toby stood, careful not to accidentally yank the tablecloth or upset a chair or something equally embarrassing.

_"Go with something simple and classic_," advised Lyon. _"You have no idea what this girl likes, so you'll be safer going classic hot fudge or something."_

"Can we get the Taste of Asia Sundae as that table over there?" Toby asked someone who looked like they were on the restaurant's waitstaff.

"Um… sure…" The waiter frowned, confused at being asked to take an order in the middle of the hallway.

_"Are you even listening to me?"_

"Oops."

_"At least remember to ask for two spoons,"_ he sighed.

"Two spoons, please," declared Toby dramatically.

"We'll bring that right out to you."

"How was that?" asked Toby.

_"At least it's over with,"_ said Lyon.

"Two spoons, two spoons," chanted Toby. Something had gone right! Maybe this was the start of a fun afternoon.

_"What did you actually order?"_

"Hm? Oh, the Taste of Asia is a bunch of Asian-inspired flavors."

_"What do you mean Asian-inspired?"_ asked Lyon. Toby could hear the edge to his voice.

"Like green tea and red bean and black sesame? It looked really good," said Toby. "Was that a bad choice?"

Lyon gave a huff. _"I'm… I'm sure it'll be fine," _said Lyon, not sounding sure at all.

"This is going to be bad, isn't it?"

_"Quite possibly, yes."_

Toby whimpered, slinking back to his seat and trying not to panic.

Dessert was served in a shallow glass goblet with a sturdy stem. Six perfect spheres of icy confection were heaped inside. Drab grays and off-greens mingled with muddy purples.

"Is that…" Jenny's eyes widened.

Toby's heart sank. What had he been thinking? This was an awful choice.

Jenny spooned a bite before squealing. "I love matcha!" said Jenny. "How did you know?"

Toby blinked, his racing mind needing a second to catch up. "Really? Me too!" he managed.

Toby breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness! Lyon was wrong, for once! He was getting nothing but silence from the ice mage, so Toby could only assume he was doing well. That, or Lyon had died from humiliation. Hopefully that wasn't true.

"I didn't know they had it here," said Jenny. "Otherwise I'd be here every week. I've never seen it on the menu. What did you actually order?"

"It's called Taste of Asia."

"No wonder I never noticed it! I've never ordered that before. Okay, what's the grey-looking one?"

"Black sesame, I think," said Toby, sampling a bite. "Yep. That it is."

Jenny tried a bite. "That's pretty good too. Not as good as the matcha, but not bad."

"What do you think the purple one is?" asked Toby.

"I'll bet it's taro," said Jenny, before digging in. Her eyes lit up. "Ha! It is!"

"Okay, watch this," said Toby. "Special attack: taro-mango!" he proclaimed, digging into both flavors of ice cream at the same time.

"Mango-ginger!" countered Jenny, tapping her spoon against his playfully before scooping another bite of ice cream.

"Mango-ginger-red bean," said Toby. He wedged his spoon under hers to 'counter the attack.'

"Hey! Oh, you asked for it! Mango-red bean-black sesame-taro," said Jenny, loading her spoon with each flavor in turn.

"I am defeated," declared Toby, putting his hands up playfully. "I yield."

Jenny giggled. "Oh, come on. You could do one better than that. Just get a bite of the matcha with it."

"I like the matcha green tea just the way it is. Why would I want to change something that's already perfect?" asked Toby.

"Sometimes, I want to ask you the same question," sighed Jenny, as if to herself.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she said, waving him off. "Okay, who would win the ultimate snack smack-down? The Terrible Taro? Or Mango Madness? What do you think?"

Toby looked to see if Jenny was making fun of him. It didn't look like she was.

"Depends," said Toby. "Any special attacks allowed?"

"Nope," said Jenny. "This is a one-on-one battle royale."

"I'd have to give it to the mango," said Toby. "Smooth, tart, fresh. A winning combination, I think. The other one's not for everyone."

"An acquired taste?" said Jenny.

"_That_," agreed Toby. "Although, I think they might be better together."

"You know, I think you might be right about that," said Jenny, tapping her spoon against his.

Toby felt his heart ricochet in his chest when she flashed him that cheeky grin.

"Well, what are we waiting for? We have to test it out," said Jenny.

"Let's do it!" he said.

* * *

**So... he has the word sashimi tattooed on his arm. She came to the Grand Ball in the GMG (which didn't happen in this universe) in a kimono and her take-over is a mech. To me, there was zero chance they didn't share an appreciation for Asian art, culture, food, and anime. Props to Jenny for rolling with the punches and helping Toby through the nerves (and managing to gracefully give Toby an out from the ritzy restaurant).  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Call Me Cyrano_, we get to learn a little more about the enigma that is Miss Jenny Realight, and why she's on this date at all.** _Jenny laughed. "Seriously, though. What do you think when you see me?" asked Jenny._

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. The One Who Wears the Clothes

**Happy Friday! First off, I'd like to thank everyone who's reached out via comment or PM. I am a little bit overwhelmed by all the well-wishes and congratulations and I'm so, so grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing and caring people. You guys are awesome; it's such a privilege. Thank you! :)  
**

**Now that Jenny's driving (metaphorically, of course) where will she and Toby go now? I think I said it last week, but props to this girl for gracefully giving her guy an out. The guys that I know aren't always good at things like sharing their feelings or getting out after they get themselves in over their heads (when you're in too deep, stop digging! XD). While not everyone appreciates being given an 'out,' because it can feel a little obnoxious, and maybe a little holier than thou, but I can think of a few times when someone's let me know that they appreciated the 'silent rescue'. (To be fair, the one guy who jokingly called it that probably didn't need the 'out'.)  
**

**Guest: Thanks again, my friend! That means so much to me. I really appreciate it. :) I'm glad our intrepid Toby has won your support. Neither he nor Jenny gets a lot of screen time in canon, so projecting plausible personalities on them was a fun little project. It's comforting to hear that you like the little side stories and asides in my A/N. I know I can be pretty chatty. Sometimes I worry that I end up just talking to myself and inflating my chapters, lol. But I'm happy to keep on sharing if there are people who get a chuckle out of my snark and sass. Thanks for checking in on me. :)  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

After Toby and Jenny finished their dessert, they went back outside. It was still pretty early, maybe five or six in the afternoon. It was still light enough to do something else.

"That was an awesome start! What do you want to do next?" asked Jenny.

_"Ask her if she wants to do another restaurant. Maybe the first one wasn't to her liking,"_ crackled Lyon's voice.

"Do you want to do another restaurant?"

"Actually, do you just want to get some sandwiches from that cart over there?" asked Jenny. "Then we can eat while we walk around. It's almost too nice to be inside."

"I mean, that's not really—"

_"Agree with her, because that's what she wants to do."_

"…but that sounds great," finished Toby.

_"Nice save,"_ said Lyon.

"Cool," said Jenny. "Come on, you'll love it."

Food in hand, they strolled through winding blocks paved with cobblestone. Jenny pointed out her favorite features and attractions: an open square where the annual Macaroni Festival took place, the best bench for people-watching, the street with the prettiest Christmas decorations, and the shopping center's centerpiece: the fountain in the very center that lit up different colors at night.

Jenny slowed when they started down a block that was lined with chic boutiques and designer outlets. Mannequins posed in twos and threes, like a freeze-frame from a movie in each window display.

Jenny looked at each display pensively, her eyes drifting from one mannequin to the other. Toby had never seen her so serious before.

"You're into clothes, right?" he asked.

"Well, sort of," said Jenny. She stopped at the next window, squinting.

"Is there some reason you're studying them?" asked Toby.

Jenny paused, looking at him curiously.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be awkward," said Toby. "I probably shouldn't have asked."

"You're not awkward," said Jenny. Then she sighed, her expression turning serious. "Promise you won't laugh."

Toby shook his head furiously.

"I haven't told anyone else this, but eventually I want to quit modeling," said Jenny.

"What? Why?" asked Toby.

"Eventually, I don't want to be the one wearing the clothes anymore," said Jenny simply.

"You don't want to wear clothes?!" stammered Toby.

"Not like that," laughed Jenny. "You're so silly!"

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean—"

Jenny put a finger to Toby's lips to shush him.

"What I meant was… I want to show people that I'm more than just a pretty face. One day, I want to quit modeling." Jenny paused, holding her breath as if waiting for a reaction.

"Oh," shrugged Toby.

"Oh?" echoed Jenny.

"Cool?" asked Toby. "Were you expecting something else?" he asked.

"I thought I was going to get more of a reaction than that," said Jenny.

"Yay!" said Toby, pumping his fist in the air, and feeling more than a little silly.

Jenny laughed. "Seriously, though. What do you think of when you see me?" asked Jenny.

"I think you're Jenny," said Toby, honestly.

"Yeah, but what does that mean? A lot of guys, they think they know me. They think that because I'm sort of a household name and I do interviews and appearances, that that's who I am."

"Isn't it?" asked Toby curiously.

"Yes and no," admitted Jenny. "Sometimes, it's really easy for me to get hung up on what people see and how people see me. When I go out, I end up feeling like I need to look a certain way and I need to be a certain way. And everyone judges, you know?"

"That sounds tough," said Toby.

"It's not too bad. I mean can you imagine being Princess Hisui or Mirajane? I probably shouldn't complain so much," said Jenny. "But _you_ understand. Like I just told you that I want to do something entirely different and, you know, quit modeling, you didn't make a big deal about it."

"Did you want me to?" asked Toby.

Jenny shook her head. "It's nice not to be judged."

"What about your team?" asked Toby. "They don't judge you, do they?"

"Not really," said Jenny. "Hibs and the others are nice, but I don't think they want the same kinds of things I want. Like, maybe Ren does. Hibs and Eve? They're at a different stage in life, if that makes sense."

"How do you know that I'm not the same way?" asked Toby curiously.

"Just a hunch," said Jenny.

"A hunch?" asked Toby.

"Yeah, like… do you think I'm weird?" asked Jenny.

"No," said Toby quickly.

"Do you think the things that I want don't make sense?"

"Of course not!"

"Do you find my always smiling-ness annoying? Like, does it come off as fake?" Jenny asked, grinning broadly and pointing at the upturned corners of her mouth.

"I don't think so," said Toby, frowning. Was this a trick question?

"Guess what?" said Jenny.

"What?" asked Toby.

"We just might be compatible."

"Might?" asked Toby.

"Yeah, I think—oh, wait. One more question. This is the deal-breaker…"

"Okay. What is it?"

"Pineapple on pizza. Yay or nay?" she asked solemnly.

"Um, no?" asked Toby.

"Eh, I guess nobody's perfect," said Jenny. "It's cool though."

Toby blinked. "O-okay…"

"That was a joke," said Jenny, cracking a grin. "So you're not fazed by my plan to quit Sorcerer Weekly?"

"It's not what I would have expected, but it's not a bad thing," said Toby. "As long as it's what you want to do, then I can't see why it would be. What would you do once you quit modeling? Do more guild work?"

"Maybe, but probably not," said Jenny. "Actually, I've always wanted to start my own business."

"What sort of business were you thinking?" asked Toby. He couldn't imagine Jenny running her own restaurant or working as a construction worker.

"I'd have my own clothing line," said Jenny. "I'd design fashionable combat gear for trendy guild mages. Lord knows, we need it. I mean, have a look at what some of the other girls are wearing. Their clothes aren't durable, and they don't hold up well in a fight."

"That's so cool! What would you call it?" said Toby.

"I don't know yet… I never really thought about it," said Jenny pensively. "It'd have to be something bold, yet fun. Classy, but still playful. Something that says: Imma kick your butt!" She laughed softly.

"How about… _Jenny_?" suggested Toby.

"Jenny…" she repeated before smiling wide. "I like it," she said softly. "Leave it to you to bring out my inner narcissist!" she laughed, smacking Toby in the arm.

"I thought it was appropriate…!" protested Toby.

"You're sweet."

"So, would you just do fighting-clothes? Or would there be other stuff too?" asked Toby.

"Well, since you asked…" said Jenny, pausing thoughtfully. "I'd start with different types of clothes. But eventually, assuming my brand takes off, I'd go into something else related."

"Like what?" asked Toby.

"I don't know," Jenny shrugged. "Depends on what takes off. Like if it's my line of dresses and formalwear, I might do some accessories and shoes. And If it was my line of athleticwear, I'd… I don't know…"

"Maybe go into fitness centers and health-food?" asked Toby.

Jenny grinned. "That's a really good idea… Exactly! See, that's what I like about you," she said with a nod of approval.

"What do you mean?"

"You're so honest. You don't hold anything back and I appreciate that," said Jenny.

"My friends say that I have no filter," admitted Toby, wincing in preparation for a scolding by Lyon.

But Lyon was silent.

Actually, he had gotten so far into the conversation with Jenny that Toby hadn't even realized when Lyon had stopped providing running commentary. He was sure the ice-mage would have had some biting observation.

But Lyon had been unusually quiet for the better part of the afternoon.

Toby's eyes widened, dread creeping down his spine. "Lyon!" he wailed.

"Lyon…? Where?" asked Jenny.

"N-nowhere…." Said Toby.

Toby looked over his shoulder, catching sight of his wingman, tailing him from a distance. He waved at Lyon frantically.

Lyon motioned back. Toby wasn't quite sure what he meant, but he could guess… either their lacrimas weren't working or someone was getting decapitated. Actually, it was probably the first, since the second didn't make a whole lot of sense.

"What's the matter?" asked Jenny.

"Nothing! Nothing. I'm totally _not_ waving at nobody over my shoulder! Nope."

Toby looked around wildly. Lyon couldn't help him anymore. He was on his own now. He was on his own…

Jenny glanced in Lyon's direction with a sigh. But her frown was gone as quickly as it had come. She turned back to Toby with a broad grin. She wasn't mad, so she must not have seen him.

"I have an idea…" said Jenny.

"W-what?" asked Toby.

"My turn to surprise you. Come on!" she said, grabbing his hand. She pulled him down the street.

Toby threw one final glance over his shoulder, but Lyon had disappeared. What was he going to do without his wingman?

* * *

**The training wheels are off...**

**Hopefully, this adds some depth to Jenny's character too. She probably comes off as a little bit too perfect, but that's sort of intentional. For one, like she points out here, she's _the_ Jenny Realight, so all of Fiore knows her by reputation. Even Toby has her up on a bit of a pedestal, so we're not going to get her flaws through his eyes. The fact that he knows that he's super awkward doesn't help, because she's like a goddess in comparison. It'll be a future story before we'll see a more flawed Jenny (and a fairer assessment of Toby) through her eyes.  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Call Me Cyrano_, **_It would be fine. Perfectly fine. He and Lyon had been cut off all afternoon, and he had survived on his own. Granted, Toby hadn't known that he was flying solo, but still…_

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. Mr Dawg and the Bleu Pegasus Babe

**Happy Friday!  
**

**So... it sounds like the group is divided. We've got some readers who are rooting for the Dawg and some who are just waiting (either in anticipation or terrified) for it to go up in flames. (I have a track record for sending things up in flames, so it's a valid concern.) One thing we do agree on, though is that Toby needs to stand up on his own. Can you imagine what it would be like if Toby ended up relying on Lyon forever? Can you imagine how awkward that would be? Yeah, that won't last long. XD**

**There are two chapters left in this fic. This week, Toby's on his own. How does he fare? Next week, a little wrap-up and epilogue with Lyon and a special secret guest.**

**Guest: He definitely has a chance, for sure! He does have to start stepping up, though. Lyon can't give him lines for the rest of his life... But it looks like you have faith in him. We'll see how well he gets along this week. I'm glad I'm brightening your Fridays; it's my honor to do so. :) And no worries about the English-honestly, I didn't notice it at all. :) Sounds like you can be more confident in your skills. You're probably better than you think you are. But that's just my opinion - sorry, I'm nosy! :) Thanks for the review. Always glad to hear from you.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Bowling?" asked Toby, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Unless you want to do laser tag?" said Jenny, pointing out the sign for the other attraction in the corner. "They have glow-in-the-dark mini-golf here too."

"Oh, no, bowling's fine," said Toby, paying for a lane and renting shoes.

It would be fine. Perfectly fine. He and Lyon had been cut off all afternoon, and he had survived on his own. Granted, Toby hadn't known that he was flying solo, but still…

All he had to do was act normal.

Act normal. Act normal. Act normal.

"I thought you might have a little more fun here," said Jenny, nodding as she tightened up her laces. "It was really nice of you to treat me earlier, but you didn't really seem like the all dressed up type. And honestly, neither am I," she whispered. "But let's keep that a secret."

"Works for me," said Toby.

"What I wouldn't give for a whole mess of cheese fries!" exclaimed Jenny.

"I'll go get us some," said Toby. "I guess that's our appetizer for our backwards date, huh? Do you want anything to drink?"

"How about a cola?"

"Diet?"

"Hm… normally, yes. But today's a cheat day, so regular's fine too. Thanks for checking! That's really sweet."

"I'll be right back," said Toby.

"I can get our lane set up," said Jenny. "Do you know what ball you normally use?"

Toby frowned. "Um, sixteen, I think."

"Cool, see you in a few."

When Toby returned with their snacks, Jenny was almost finished getting their lane set up.

"I never realized how heavy those sixteens are," complained Jenny. "You didn't seem super sure, so I grabbed a fifteen for you too, just in case."

"What do you normally use?" asked Toby.

"An eleven," said Jenny, pointing at a bubblegum pink ball in the trough of the ball return. "Here, put your name in," she said, pointing at the console on their table.

Toby frowned. His name wasn't that hard to spell… Then he looked at the setup for their lane. Jenny had put herself in as 'Bleu Pegasus Babe'. As usual, it looked like she wanted to have a little fun with it.

Toby hummed to himself. "They call me… _Mister_ Dawg!" he declared, typing his new moniker into the console.

"Nice!" laughed Jenny. "I love the Lion King!"

"Actually, they got that from an old cop film. Really good film. Classic."

"You should show me some time," said Jenny.

"You into old films?" asked Toby.

"Not really…" admitted Jenny. "But I like a good crime drama."

"Really? You?" asked Toby curiously. Then he muffled his mouth with a gasp. "Oops."

"It's all good," said Jenny. "I know I look more like the chick-flick sort of gal, but I'm really more into action or sci-fi."

"Space Wars or Space Trek?" asked Toby.

"Which one?" asked Jenny.

"What?"

"Which Trek?" asked Jenny.

"Um, I don't know. The original?"

"Space Wars, for sure," said Jenny. "Original Trek had no plot. It's a good universe, but they're lucky it lasted as long as it did."

"Oh, yeah?"

Jenny nodded. "If you want to see real Trek, you have to watch Space Sta-7. Easily the best, hands down."

"I don't think I've seen that one," said Toby.

"I have it on lacrima. You can borrow it if you're interested."

"That'd be great," said Toby.

If he didn't over think it, he and Jenny got along pretty well. Sure, he'd learned some surprising things about her over the course of their date, but nothing that was to be expected. Jenny was a person, not a carboard doll. Honestly, he appreciated getting to know her better.

A flash of light caught Toby's eye. He almost didn't notice, with all the noise and strobing going on, but sure enough. There it was again. And again.

Glancing over his shoulder, Toby caught sight of a small girl hovering anxiously with a camera in her hands.

"Does the paparazzi usually come in the four-foot-two packages with pigtails?" asked Toby.

"Hm? Oh!" Jenny's eyes lit up when they fell on their little voyeur.

"You're Jenny Realight!" the girl squealed. "You are, like, my favorite Pegasus wizard! I wanna be just like you someday!"

"Aw, that's so sweet of you!" said Jenny with a grin. "Do you want a photo?"

"Do I ever!" she exclaimed posing next to Jenny. "My friends are going to be so jealous when they hear about this!"

"I'll take it," said Toby, extending his hand for the girl to hand over her camera. He waited for Jenny to crouch down next to her little fan.

"You ready?" asked Jenny cheerfully.

The girl nodded excitedly.

"Everybody say dancing monkeys!" declared Toby.

Both girls grinned broadly at that, allowing Toby to capture the perfect moment.

"What do you think?" he asked, offering the preview for the little girl's approval.

"Oh, it's so super amazing!" she gushed. "Thank you!"

Jenny gave the photo an approving nod. "You're pretty good at this."

"I've had practice," said Toby. He was used to playing the photographer. Whenever he was out with the team. Lyon and Sherry tended to be their front-runners, and Chelia always stole the show whenever she was around. That left him and Yuka to alternate as photographer.

"Who's this with you?" asked the girl suddenly, as if she just noticed him.

"He's my—"

"We're just friends…" stammered Toby.

"Oh…" said the girl, frowning slightly.

For a second Jenny looked a little disappointed. Toby squirmed. He didn't mean to embarrass her. He really was trying his hardest. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything at all.

But Jenny took it in stride, as always.

"Yeah," said Jenny. "This kind of friends!" she said, wrapping both of her arms around his bicep and pulling him close.

What was she doing?

The girl squealed again, her camera flash going off like no tomorrow.

"You know that's going to be _all_ over the tabloids tomorrow, right?" sighed Toby.

"Toby…" said Jenny, her voice uncharacteristically serious. "Toby, look at me."

Toby forced himself to raise his head.

"Do I intimidate you?" asked Jenny quietly.

"What?!" Toby's eyes went wide with panic. "No, no, that's not it! It's not you! I mean, it is, but it isn't. I mean…"

Toby wished that he still had Lyon on lacrima. What he wouldn't do for his friend's acerbic advice. He needed help. He couldn't get out of this one alone!

But he was alone. It was just him and Jenny. No Lyon.

It was up to him now.

Finally, Toby sighed. "You're you. And I'm _me_."

"You say that like you think it's a problem," said Jenny.

"It's not."

"Toby, I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. I have plenty of experience turning down pushy fanboys and I know how to let someone down easy."

"So, you're not here because you didn't want to hurt my feelings…?" asked Toby, his hands working nervously.

Jenny let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "No, of course not. If I don't want to do something, then no one's pressuring me into it. Trust me on this one."

"Can I ask you a question? Why me? Out of all the guys in Fiore…" Toby shook his head. If Jenny really was here of her own volition… _why_?

"First of all, I didn't agree to go out with any of the guys in Fiore. Only you. So, stop comparing yourself to them. And second, you're different from those other guys. I can let loose and have fun when I'm around you. I don't have to worry about what people are thinking or if they're going to judge me."

"Really? How do I do that? I didn't even know I _was_ doing that," blurted Toby, his shoulders rising in an involuntary shrug.

"Just be yourself. I like how you say whatever's on your mind."

"You want to know what's on my mind now?"

"What?"

"That I want to hold your hand. Is that okay?"

Jenny giggled. "Only if you quit asking."

"Wait. So you mean that I—"

"No, I mean you can just go for it. You don't have to ask," she said, lacing her fingers through his.

Toby couldn't keep from grinning. "Do you know how happy I am right now? I'm like super-beyond-happy-psyched."

"Me too!" said Jenny. "But we're going to have to let go eventually, unless you can bowl lefty, that is."

"Just watch me," he said.

As it turned out, Toby could _not_ bowl left-handed. It took him two turns before he reluctantly had to admit defeat. But, fortunately, he was a skilled bowler, so he caught up with Jenny's score quickly.

As his ball rolled down the lane and cleared the pins with another spare, Toby punched his fist in the air.

"Nice shot! You're really good at this."

"Sweet, that brings me up to…" Toby stared at his fingers. "…ninety-six. I think. Yeah, that's right. I swear I can do math…"

"So can the machine," said Jenny, pointing at the overhead screen displaying Toby's score.

Toby blinked sheepishly, his eyes darting upwards to the display. "Oh, right…"

Jenny laughed. "Now it's my turn. I've got this one in the bag!" she purred, letting her ball careen down the lane.

Her first shot was a gutter and she only managed to clip the rack with her second, knocking down a mere three pins.

"Nice! High five!" said Toby.

"But that's actually an _awful_ score…" she laughed. Then she shrugged, extending her hand to meet his anyways.

But before their palms could touch, Toby reached for her hand, tightening his grip on her fingers.

"Did you know that couples who hold hands last twice as long as those who don't? That's what they say, at least. I don't know if it's true or not. I mean… yeah…" Toby grinned, trailing off apologetically.

Jenny grinned broadly, her blonde hair falling into her eyes. "I'd believe it," she said, giving his fingers a fond squeeze. "Was that just another excuse to hold hands?"

"Sort of… yeah."

* * *

**The start of something real? Our boy has definitely made some strides, but in all fairness, these two have a ways to go. That said, I've enjoyed getting to play in the land of rare pairs, but I'm also looking forward to changing gears to something else. There's a lot of other ships to cover and chaos to sow, so it'll be a while before we get to check in on Toby and Jenny again, so we'll have to keep our fingers crossed for them until then.  
**

**But before we move along to our next victim... I mean ship, let's give it one more chapter to wrap things up.**

**Next time, in the final chapter of ****[Mazeverse] _Call Me Cyrano_, Lyon and a special guest (guess who?... fine, I'll give you a hint XD). **_"You're… Jenny's boyfriend?" guessed Lyon, trying to keep the surprise from his voice._

**Stop back next Friday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	6. Here's to the Brokenhearted

**Happy Friday! ****This week, we catch up with Lyon, flashing back to... the end of chapter 3, at the restaurant. Because, did anyone wonder how Jenny managed to _not_ notice that they were being tailed all afternoon? It's not like Toby is subtle.  
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**This is the last chapter of _Call Me Cyrano_. Big thank you to everyone who has come along with us on this foray into the wacky. If you remember, when I started down the path of Toby x Jenny, it was just a joke in _Anniversary: Special Just Because_. I never really thought I would try to write them in any serious capacity. ****In retrospect, it was definitely a challenging exercise and an interesting experience. I would definitely do it again. Scratch that... I will do it again. :) There are a few other side characters that normally get shuffled in predictable ways... Seriously, I know they're sides, but do we really have to pair them with the character they always get drawn next to? Or the person they shared 1 of their whopping 3 lines of dialogue with? I'm being a little facetious, but I'm honestly wondering what would happen if they were to meet other characters. Of course, this would be more for flavor than anything else. We'll still be focused on more major characters.  
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**Guest: Thank you so much; I'm glad you enjoyed it! These two have definitely grown on me, and it looks like it shows. :) (Also, I'm guessing that was your review on _Journey_? That's dedication, getting through all 40 chapters so quickly. I'm glad the character development felt realistic. And I think you're the only person who's mentioned some of the more emotional elements. I'm glad to see that they're coming across the way I had hoped.) I hope you had a great week too. Thanks for all the support!  
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**\- K. Chandler**

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Lyon clamped his jaw shut. He had been gaping for so long that he was almost afraid his face would get stuck that way. What in God's name were those two doing? _Special attacks_ with ice cream?!

Aside from that bizarre exchange, Toby seemed to be doing well. Lyon followed them as they left the restaurant and down the street.

That's when he heard the audio from his lacrima crackle to a halt.

Eyes widening, he yanked the lacrima away from his ear to confirm. The innocent words backlit on his lacrima filled him with dread like they never had before.

_Call ended._

What happened? It looked like he had plenty of service here, so Toby probably did too. Connection shouldn't have been a problem. Unless Toby's lacrima was out of power…

Lyon cursed under his breath.

For a moment, Lyon considered calling Toby back, but there was no way Toby would be able to answer with the lacrima hidden in his hat. And how awkward would it be if his hat started _ringing_, of all things?!

With a frustrated growl, Lyon pocketed his own lacrima. Secret Lacrima Spies was officially out. But that didn't mean that Lyon couldn't stick around. If he stayed close, he could still keep the situation from going off the rails, if need be.

But he needn't have worried. If the foolish grin on Toby's face was anything to go by, he was probably saying something idiotic. But Jenny's reactions weren't negative at all. She seemed to be enjoying their discussion.

All in all, Toby seemed to be doing fine. They were having a really good conversation. If anything, Toby's lacrima dying might have been a good thing. It forced him to be independent without his knowledge. And when they got home, Lyon could let him know that he had managed all on his own.

If that didn't boost his confidence, nothing would.

But that was when Toby wailed his name.

Lyon's head jerked up as he looked over at Toby and Jenny. Toby had a frantic look on his face. In the dying light, Lyon and Jenny locked eyes. Lyon cringed. The jig was up.

They were so screwed.

But Lyon didn't get the confrontation he was expecting. Before Lyon had the opportunity to contemplate his demise by angry harpy, Jenny took Toby by the hand and led him down the street. She chatted with him cheerfully, as if nothing had happened.

Lyon frowned. Jenny looked right at him. Hadn't she seen him? It wasn't that dark out; she _had_ to have. They made eye contact! There was no _way_ she didn't see him. But if she had, she didn't say anything.

Was she okay with him secretly helping? Or maybe did she plan on separating them, so she could get her revenge separately. Fights with Sherry had taught Lyon that there was, indeed, truth to the old adage 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' And a woman in Jenny's position had every right to feel upset.

Lyon hurried after the couple, racking his brain for how to salvage this situation. He wasn't sure what else he could do at this point, but he couldn't just abandon Toby.

Lyon had followed his teammate for about three blocks before they ducked into… the bowling alley? What were they doing there?

Was she actually planning on… continuing their date?! It certainly appeared so.

But the locale seemed an odd choice. The bowling alley was the sort of place where you'd host a cross-guild mixer or a casual outing with a group of friends. But certainly, _not_ date night! And especially not a _first_ date.

Then again, Jenny was proving to be a bit of an unconventional woman, so perhaps this wasn't entirely unexpected.

Inside the bowling alley, it did appear as if Toby and Jenny's date was going to continue, despite the odds. Ignoring the strobing lights and loud music, Lyon stationed himself at the bar, the perfect vantage point to observe Toby's date from afar.

Toby was worryingly stiff at first, but after a short time, he seemed to find his stride. Thankfully, he had always been decent at bowling, so at least he had that working in his favor.

Toby bowled another strike, celebrating his victory with… was that the chicken dance? Lyon wanted to facepalm, but Jenny threw back her head and guffawed, giving Toby a celebratory punch in the shoulder.

Only those two… Lyon couldn't deny they had potential as a couple. Albeit a very, very odd couple. But who was he to judge? Love worked in mysterious ways.

Satisfied that Toby had things under control, Lyon pulled out his lacrima and panned through the screens idly. He had missed a couple calls from Juvia. He considered returning her call here, but that didn't seem right. He wouldn't be able to give her his undivided attention in this noisy bar. He'd have to call her back once he got home.

Instead, Lyon found himself watching Toby in awe. It was almost too strange to believe.

"I see you had the same idea I did."

Lyon looked up to find that Hibiki Lates from Blue Pegasus had taken a seat at the bar next to him.

"You tailing your ex too?" asked Hibiki casually.

"You're… Jenny's boyfriend?" guessed Lyon, trying to keep the surprise from his voice. Did Jenny Realight really just choose Toby over this guy?

"Not anymore, it seems," said Hibiki, his eyes still on Jenny and Toby.

"I'm sorry…" said Lyon. He wasn't just sorry to hear that. There was a part of him that felt responsible for this.

"I'm not happy about it, but she's my best friend and I respect Jenny's decision," said Hibiki, shrugging. "When it's over, it's over, right?"

The Pegasus mage's words were flippant, but Lyon could see the subtle signs of stress darkening his eyes. He was more upset about it than he was letting on. Lyon couldn't tell if it was some misguided form of pride or if it was simply Hibiki's flirtatious personality that kept him from being more honest about it.

Hibiki gave a wry smile. "When it comes down to it, she'd likely say that we were more friends than lovers," he admitted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Lyon sharply, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He had given Toby his blessing, but if Jenny was some sort of floozy, he'd be more than happy to march over and stop this train wreck in its tracks.

"She and I weren't exclusive," shrugged Hibiki. "Something that she always did complain about. I guess I should have taken that more seriously."

So, it was Hibiki that couldn't commit? If that were the case, then there was no need to pull the plug on Toby's relationship quite yet.

"It's not the end of the world, I guess," said Hibiki. "There's always Mika, Ashley or Laila. Ah, but Jenny… she really was something special," he sighed.

"Then you should have known not to treat her so carelessly," said Lyon, the blunt words out before he could stop them. It wasn't his place to judge, but at the same time, someone needed to speak truth to this Pegasus Playboy.

"You don't have to tell me twice," said Hibiki.

"So, what are you going to do now?" asked Lyon.

"Dunno," said Hibiki. "Maybe it's time to call it quits. It's hopeless if I'm not the relationship type."

"You'd give up like that?" asked Lyon fiercely. "Love is only hopeless to those who stop trying."

"You sound like you know what you're talking about," observed Hibiki.

Lyon deflated, an irritated hiss of air coming from between his teeth. "If I knew, do you think I'd be here?" he asked.

Hibiki's eyebrow gave a slight quirk of amusement. "Touché."

Turning back towards the bar, Hibiki ordered them a round of drinks.

"We should celebrate," said Hibiki. "Shall we drink to the happy couple?"

"Was that sarcasm?" asked Lyon.

Hibiki just smiled, sliding one of the glass tumblers across the table at him. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you to keep your boy in line," said Hibiki. "You, of all people, seem to understand that," he added conversationally.

"That was ages ago, but your guild can't seem to let that one go," observed Lyon.

"It's not every day that the ace of a rival guild declares war on Blue Pegasus," chuckled Hibiki.

"I'd hardly consider us rivals," snorted Lyon. Without a question, the might of Blue Pegasus paled in comparison with that of Lamia Scale.

"Careful," said Hibiki, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "You wouldn't want to start something _here_, would you?"

"I suppose that wouldn't be prudent," conceded Lyon.

"It seems I underestimated your intellect," commented Hibiki.

"And I'll let that one slide. But only for the sake of the happy couple, of course."

"Of course."

But what was the cost of that happiness? Toby and Jenny were ecstatic, and Lyon had made that happen. But there was Hibiki. And he'd made that happen too.

Love was the sort of game where there were winners and losers, and even if everyone played fair, there'd always be at least one person who would walk away unhappy.

For every Toby, there was a Hibiki. Just like for every Gray, there would be a Lyon.

As if on cue, Lyon's lacrima sounded. He recognized the caller right away.

Juvia.

Lyon hesitated, his hand hovering over the option to answer the call.

But he didn't. He just watched it ring.

"Do you have to take that?" asked Hibiki.

Did he _have_ to?

He had promised to support Juvia with her pursuit of Gray, but all that resulted was that he had become her crutch. A walking encyclopedia of dubious relationship advice. She deserved better.

And so did he.

What was their 'relationship' actually based on? Could they even call it that? Certainly, they got along well enough. They seemed to be 'friends'. But at the end of the day, did Juvia really have any special regard for him?

She had come to keep him company when he was ill, but that was more Chelia's interference than anything else. His favorite scarf was a gift from Juvia as well, but that was probably more of a thank you than a real sign of any connection. Just payment for his matchmaking services. Commission for a job well done.

Maybe it was time to 'call it quits', as Hibiki had said.

Lyon dismissed the call, sending it to voice mail.

Hibiki arched an eyebrow at him, but Lyon simply turned his lacrima off and tucked it back into his pocket.

No more matchmaking. When he'd told Toby that, he'd meant for it to push his friend to take steps to stand on his own. But maybe he'd meant it in a more general sense, as well. He shouldn't be interfering with other people's relationships. All it did was leave people even more heartbroken.

People like Hibiki. People like himself.

"You seem pensive," observed Hibiki.

"Really?" asked Lyon lightly. "I can't imagine why I would."

Hibiki gave him a knowing smile. "Here's to the brokenhearted," he said sardonically, raising his glass mockingly.

Lyon mimicked the gesture. "Cheers."

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**And that's that. **If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving me a comment or favoriting this fic! I'd love to hear from you.  
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****Did anyone recognize the references to other fics within the Mazeverse timeline? We've got enough that I can start referring to events within this universe's canon.****

****Hibiki's in an interesting position now. He's sort of coming face-to-face with his flirty nature. Don't worry. He'll figure himself out and find a nice girl eventually. Any guesses as to who? (I have my eye on someone I want to send his way.)****

**So, side question, is anybody here reading for the Lyvia subplot? What do you think about ****Lyon sending Juvia to voice mail? Somebody's starting to lose interest... and just when things were starting to look promising. Was it too little, too late?**

**Starting next week, we'll get our answer. Next week starts a new story involving Lyon, Juvia, Gray and Sherry. Finally an answer to Mazeverse's take on the Lyvia/Gruvia triangle.  
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**Stop back next Friday for _[Mazeverse]_ ****_The Beginning, The End, and Everything In Between_****, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


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